Connie and I were glad to meet you at the U of I Eye Clinic the other day. It was Oct 6th which is don and your anniversary. That had to be a day where joy was mixed with sadness. We have prayed for you and trust you feel God's ongoing support. Hope to meet you again sometime for a more extended chat.....we never met Don but were intrigued by your stories of him. If we never meet here on earth may we meet in Heaven where all loneliness, tears and sickness are gone forever. Joe and Connie Gerst

Memories of being with Don in Iowa and here in Florida will always be treasures in my heart. But they are nothing compared to the memories we have yet to make. Don expressed his being at peace with God; he was ready to go to Him. Romans 5:1 “…since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace…” Thanking God that through His Son I will see Don again.

Love and condolences to Julie, Guy, Meredith, Bob, Kim and families

My brother Don has always been a true inspiration to me. With only 1 ½ years difference in age, we were constant companions when we were younger. Even then he had a very quick wit and enjoyed a good story or practical joke. And, he was athletic. At the young ages of 6 and 7 we perfected our wrestling moves by devotedly watching weekly telecasts of pro wrestling from McElroy Auditorium in Waterloo, Iowa. Don loved animals, filling our home with birds, guinea pigs, hamsters, turtles, fish, a dog, a cat, a (small) alligator and a monkey with sharp teeth to mention a few.

Our grandfather always said that money would burn a hole through Don’s pocket. In other words, he was quick to spend any acquired wealth but I can assure you that he was generous with all he had. He was always willing to lend a hand to others. Don was always kind and polite. I can never remember him going into a rage or being prone to anger. He was also friendly and was well liked, Don had many friends. He took his hardships in stride. I remember him being more of an explainer than a complainer.

I couldn’t have been blessed with a better brother. We had many good times together. I love him and I miss him but know I will be seeing him soon.

Our memories of Don go way back to the many piano recital days our son, Grant, and your daughter, Meredith, had together. We usually sat near each other and chatted before the performances. Don was so very proud of Meredith's accomplishments. Those were very happy times and how we will always remember Don.

Colleen and Wayne Hogan

Julie, please know that you and Meredith are in our thoughts and prayers.

So sad to hear of Don’s passing

He sure beat the odds with humor and a big smile

He will be remembered as a wonderful soul who left a wonderful legacy

Rest In Peace

He was a blessing to know

Hugs to his family

I was very sad to hear about Don's passing as there is no one quite like him out there and I consider myself lucky to have known him. He always put a smile on my face and continues to do so as I think about the time we spent working together. He was always happy no matter the time and it was an infectious trait. We'll miss you, Don!

I knew Don through both HLM and Shive-Hattery. Don lived his life like we all should, grateful. A great person with a great sense of humor. You will be missed but always with us.

Julie, I am so sorry for your loss but also very grateful you were able to enjoy so many wonderful years together through all of the challenges you and Don had to face. You were always there for each other. Thinking of you and your family with deepest sympathy. You are forever in my prayers.

Cindy (Swenka) Robertson

I am so sorry Julie and Family. May every memory of Don bless your hearts forever. It the office, I love Don like a brother. and Julie it seems like just yesterday that we shared a table at the big SH party. God bless Don for having patiently laughed at every one of my music puns as if he never heard them before. Grace, cheerfulness and toughness like no other person on this Planet.

-Ken

I sure will miss Don around the office. He was always so happy with a big smile on his face. One of my favorite things was to go by his desk and joke around with him and hear his laugh. The last time I saw him we crossed paths at the water fountain. Had I known this was the last time I would see him I would have given him a big hug and thanked him for his friendship! Don mastered the art of being a good human.

What a beautiful photo of a fantastic man! Don was a steadfast presence in our office and life. I have never met anyone like him. He has shown all of us grace and perseverance throughout his life. I so appreciate the opportunity to have gotten to know him, work with him and learn from him over the last 20+ years. I am lucky to have a desk on the corner by the entrance and got to see Don often when he came into the office in the morning. I will miss his smile and our chats as he made his way to his office. My thoughts are with all of you in this difficult time.

A cheerful heart is always good medicine. This was Don. Always cheerful and joking with co-workers. I enjoyed working with Don at S-H. My sincere condolences to Julie and Meridith. May you find joy in his memory.

I always enjoyed working with Don on projects. He had an underappreciated sense of humor and was one of the nicest people I've come across.

Prayers to the entire family. It was a pleasure to get to know Don and Julie while I worked at Iowa Donor Network. Please know that I will keep the entire family in my thoughts and prayers.

Thinking of you at this difficult time. Hugs and prayers to you and your family.

I am so sorry to hear of Don’s passing. I’m pretty sure Don was my brother, Scott’s, best friend and a lot of my memories of Scott include Don. Those memories bring a smile to my face and warm my heart as I’m sure your memories of him do for you. I hope those memories bring you comfort.

May Don's memory be a blessing to all who knew him. His persistence for life through all his adversities is an example of courage for us all. So glad to have known him as a friend. Our sympathy to Julie, Meredith, Andrea, Patience, & all his family.

Patti, John. Allison, Ryan, & Jared

I'm so sorry to learn of Don's passing. The man I knew was quiet, funny, kind, thoughtful. My prayers go out to Julie, Meredith, Patience, Andrea, and the rest of Don's family.

I always liked Don, he was a good guy in Boy Scouts and in life. He didn't judge people and always had a positive attitude. He was a kind, thoughtful person and the world needs more people like Don in it.

Julie and family, I am so sad to hear about Don. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you. Thank you Kim for letting Linda know so she could get the information on our Facebook pages. Don was incredible - to deal with all he did and still have his smile. Julie you are so special. Joyce Nelson Shellhart

Julie and Meredith, may your faith bring you peace during this difficult time. Don had a beautiful soul… His spirit will live on in your hearts.